*PUNJAB BAGS PRESTIGIOUS ‘DIGITAL EXCELLENCE AWARD’ FOR CITIZEN-CENTRIC REFORMS*

•*Tech-driven governance is our priority, Aman Arora affirms*

•*Punjab Govt leveraging technology to ensure transparency, efficiency & seamless delivery of public services: Aman Arora*

*• Director GG&IT Sarangal received Award at Technology Sabha 2026 in Hyderabad*

Chandigarh, March 1:In a resounding endorsement of its citizen-centric reforms, the Government of Punjab has received the prestigious Digital Excellence Award at the Technology Sabha 2026, for the pioneering efforts in leveraging technology to ensure transparency, efficiency and last-mile delivery of public services.

Director Governance Good Governance and Information Technology (GG&IT) Mr. Vishesh Sarangal accepted the award on behalf of the state government at the Technology Sabha 2026 organised by the Indian Express Group in Hyderabad. The ceremony was attended by top technology leaders and policymakers from across the nation.

Dedicating the feat to the state’s citizens and the department’s team, Punjab Good Governance and Information Technology Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that this recognition is a direct outcome of the mandate given by the Punjab government, to build a transparent, paperless and accountable administrative framework.

This prestigious award validates Punjab Government’s efforts to ensure good governance and citizen-centric reforms, Mr. Aman Arora said, while giving credit to Punjab Government’s vision for eliminating the 'middleman culture' and empower every citizen by bringing services to their doorstep with dignity and ease. This digital transformation is not just about technology. It is about restoring the trust of the people in the system.

Mr. Aman Arora highlighted Punjab’s innovative, "first-of-its-kind" digital interventions that are setting new benchmarks in citizen convenience across the country, while sharing that “Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwaar” is a revolutionary flagship scheme, which allows the citizens to access over 430 government services by just dialing helpline no. 1076 from the comfort of their homes. It eliminates the need to physically visit government offices. He further said that Punjab has also enabled Sarpanchs, Nambardars, and Municipal Councillors (MCs) to verify applications online. This has drastically accelerated the issuance of essential certificates, merging technology with grassroots leadership.

With the successful onboarding of Patwaris and field staff, the state has processed over 12.5 lakh applications online. This digital integration has resulted in a record-low pendency rate of just 0.33%, showcasing the system's efficiency. Additionally, M-Sewa and Connect Punjab provide a unified mobile platform and robust grievance redressal system that empowers citizens to track their applications and submit feedback in real-time, ensuring accountability at every level, the Good Governance Minister highlighted.

Outlining the ambitious roadmap ahead, Mr. Vishesh Sarangal stated, "We are not resting on this laurel. The next phase of Punjab’s digital journey involves integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to further simplify service delivery. Our goal is to create a 100% paperless and contactless ecosystem for all major life-cycle services, including income, residence and caste certificates. This award would further fuel our determination to completely eliminate red-tapism, while ensuring every government service available to the common man at the click of a button."

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Urgent intervention of PM sought to ensure safe return of Indians stranded in Arab countries amid Iran–Israel conflict: Kultar Singh Sandhwan

Chandigarh, 1 March 2026:Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan today urged the immediate intervention of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to ensure the safe evacuation of Indians stranded in Dubai Airport and various Arab countries in view of the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict.

Expressing serious concern over reports of several Indians facing distress due to the prevailing situation, the Speaker emphasized that the Government of India must accord top priority to their safe and dignified return.

S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan strongly appealed to the Prime Minister to personally intervene and direct the concerned ministries and authorities to coordinate swift diplomatic and administrative measures, including arranging special flights for the evacuation of all affected citizens.

He stressed that in times of international crisis, prompt action is essential to ensure that no Indian is left without support. The safety, security and dignity of every Indian abroad must remain the foremost responsibility of the Central Government, he added.

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*Bhagwant Mann Govt turns ‘Job Seekers’ into ‘Job Givers’; launches first 2-day Residential Student Entrepreneurship Bootcamp in Chandigarh*

*Under Bhagwant Mann Govt’s Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum/Business Curriculum, students are already studying entrepreneurship while actively building businesses, with several generating revenue & others showing strong growth potential*

*From small-scale mushroom cultivation to digital service ventures, young business people from Government ITIs & Polytechnics showcase Punjab’s new entrepreneurship wave*

*Bhagwant Mann Govt brings Innovation Mission Punjab & successful startup founders together to equip young business people with structured training in business modelling, go-to-market strategy, unit economics and venture validation*

*First in quarterly series, Punjab Govt builds sustained pipeline of student-led ventures from Government ITIs & Polytechnics across Punjab*

*36,139 students across ITIs & Polytechnics are studying and actively working on real business* ideas; 40+ real ventures identified for Special Bootcamp*

CHANDIGARH, March 1:In a significant shift from traditional education models that prepare youth only to seek jobs, the Bhagwant Mann Government has begun systematically transforming students into job creators. As part of this vision, the Punjab Government has organised the first two-day Residential Student Entrepreneurship Bootcamp at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Chandigarh, for 40 high-potential young business people selected from Government ITIs and Government Polytechnics across Punjab.

This is not a symbolic workshop. It marks the beginning of a quarterly series aimed at building a structured pipeline of youth-led enterprises, ensuring that technical education in Punjab directly leads to business creation, income generation, and local employment opportunities.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has introduced the Entrepreneurship Mindset/Business Curriculum across 322 ITIs and 91 Polytechnics, including 137 Government ITIs and 26 Government Polytechnics. The objective is simple but transformative: students should not complete their technical courses merely with a certificate in hand, but while simultaneously building viable business ideas.

Today, 36,139 students across Punjab, including 28,967 from ITIs and 7,172 from Polytechnics, are not just studying entrepreneurship in theory. They are actively working on business ideas through a structured digital platform. Instead of writing exams alone, they are identifying real customer problems, designing services or products, testing ideas, creating prototypes, reaching out to customers, and in many cases, generating early revenue.

For the first bootcamp, 40 real entrepreneurial ventures have already been identified and selected from across Government technical institutes in sectors such as retail, professional services, e-commerce, digital platforms, engineering services, manufacturing, and product development.

The 40 young business people selected for the bootcamp, 20 from Government ITIs and 20 from Government Polytechnics, were shortlisted based on course completion, quality of assignments, clarity of business concept, customer outreach efforts, prototype creation, service delivery, and revenue generation. They represent all districts across Punjab; from Amritsar & Gurdaspur to Ferozepur to Fazilka; from Ludhiana & Bathinda to Rupnagar and SAS Nagar.

Importantly, this initiative is already translating into income. While some are at the idea or testing stage, several are earning between ₹5,000 and ₹12,000 per month from ventures spanning professional services, retail, and product-based enterprises. This demonstrates a clear behavioural shift, where youth are choosing to build something of their own instead of waiting for entry-level employment opportunities.

Among the inspiring examples is a young entrepreneur from Government ITI Muktsar running a small-scale mushroom cultivation business supplying directly to local consumers, shops, and restaurants, demonstrating a demand-linked agri-based model. Another young entrepreneur from Government ITI Bathinda has launched an organic skincare initiative producing handmade soaps and herbal hair oils and marketing them through Instagram and WhatsApp. A cosmetology student from Government ITI (W), SAS Nagar (Mohali) operates a nail studio promoted through digital platforms. A refrigeration and air-conditioning student from Government ITI Ludhiana runs an air conditioner repair and maintenance service using platforms such as Justdial and Dukaan instead of investing in a physical shop. Other ventures include online tuition services, digital marketing, online retail, tailoring, and digital content creation.

These examples illustrate how technical skills in plumbing, cosmetology, refrigeration, IT support, and other trades are being directly converted into livelihood opportunities under the Bhagwant Mann Government’s reform-driven approach.

The two-day residential bootcamp further strengthens these ventures. Day 1 focuses on design thinking, identifying real problems, and structuring the business through the Business Model Canvas to define value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams, and cost structures. Day 2 concentrates on market entry strategy, customer acquisition, marketing material creation such as brochures or pitch decks, and understanding pricing and financial viability. The programme concludes with a Student Venture Showcase, where these young business people present their ventures and receive structured feedback.

Innovation Mission Punjab is leading the facilitation of the bootcamp, bringing ecosystem expertise to the programme. Four established entrepreneurs will interact with these young business people to share practical insights on starting, sustaining, and scaling ventures. Confirmed participants include Mr. Chhotu Sharma of CS Soft Solutions Infotech, Mr. Punit Jindal of Vision AI, Mr. Bipanjit Singh of Digiwah, and Ms. Manpinder Kaur of Natchkin.

By embedding entrepreneurship within Government ITIs and Polytechnics and supporting youth beyond the classroom through mentorship and exposure, the Bhagwant Mann Government is institutionalising a structural shift in Punjab’s education model. Technical education is no longer ending with certificates. It is evolving into a pathway toward business ownership, income generation, and local employment creation.

This initiative signals a larger policy direction: Punjab’s youth will not just compete for limited jobs, they will increasingly create new opportunities for themselves and for others.

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*DR. RAVJOT SEEKS INTERVENTION OF MEA TO ENSURE SAFE EVACUATION OF PUNJABIS STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF EAST*

*SAYS, BHAGWANT MANN GOVERNMENT COMMITTED FOR SAFE RETURN OF ALL PUNJABIS STUCK IN STRIFE TORN GULF*

*TALKS TO PUNJABIS STRANDED IN UAE ASSURES FULL SUPPORT TO THEM*

Chandigarh, March 1:NRI Affairs Minister Dr Ravjot Singh has sought kind intervention of the Union External Affairs Minister for ensuring safe evacuation of Punjabis stranded in strife torn Middle East.

In a letter to the Minister of External Affairs, he sought an urgent meeting with him regarding the evacuation of people from Punjab in view of the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Dr Ravjot Singh said that this tension in the Middle East poses a serious and immediate threat to the safety of our people. Given the critical nature of the situation, he said that immediate coordination is essential to ensure their safety and to make secure arrangements for their evacuation.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Minister telephonically spoke with the tourists and residents from Punjab stranded at the various airports at UAE due to ongoing conflict.During the conversation, he enquired about the difficulties they are facing in this hour of severe crisis adding that the state government is in constant touch with the Central Government and the Indian Embassies in Middle East.Dr Ravjot Singh assured the stranded people that the state government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is making every possible effort to ensure their safe return to Punjab.